Installation for making ingots and method therefor

ABSTRACT

An installation for making ingots and the method of operation of the installation are disclosed. The ingots are produced by electroslag remelting one or more consumable electrodes in a mould which is designed to retain a slag bath in the upper part thereof and to form an ingot in the lower part thereof. The mould is provided with a bottom plate with a projection extending up into the mould upon which the ingot, as it is formed, is supported. During remelting of the electrode to form the ingot the electrode and the bottom plate are maintained in fixed position relative to one another and the mold is moved upwardly with respect to the ingot during its formation. In this manner, the heat loss from the ingot is decreased in order to prevent cracking of the ingot produced. The internal cross-sectional area of the lower part of the mold is a factor of 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode or of the total crosssectional area of the plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted in the installation.

United States Patent Paton et al.

45] Jan. 30, 1973 [76] Inventors: Boris Evgenievich Paton, ulitsa Km- [22] Filed:

sjubinskoyo 9, kv. 21; Boris lzrailevich Medovar, bulvar Lesi Ukrainki 2, kv. 8; Jury Vadimovich Latash, Vozdukhoflotsky prospekt 48, kv. 14; July Georgievich Emelyanenko, ulitsa Darvina 5, kv. 5; Leonid Mikhailovich .Stupak, Brest Litovsky prospekt 39, kv. 9; Vitaly Mikhailovich Baglai, ulitsa Semashko l0, kv. 54/3; Jury Fedorovich Alferov, bulvar Lepse 29, kv. 64, all of Kiev, U.S.S.R.

May 8, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 823,024

3,389,208 6/1968 Roberts et al. ..13/9 2,565,959 8/1951 Francis et al. ..164/89 x 3,129,473 4/1964 Veil ..164/252 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,252,218 10/1967 Germany..... ..164/252 1,817,124 8/1969 Germany ..164/52 689,297 4/1967 Belgium Primary ExaminerJ. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner.lohn E. Roethel AttorneyWaters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT An installation for making ingots and the method of operation of the installation are disclosed. The ingots are produced by electroslag remelting one or more consumable electrodes in a mould which is designed to retain a slag bath in the upper part thereof and to form an ingot in the lower part thereof. The mould is provided with a bottom plate with a projection extending up into the mould upon which the ingot, as it is formed, is supported. During remelting of the electrode to form the ingot the electrode and the bottom plate are maintained in fixed position relative to one another and the mold is moved upwardly with respect to the ingot during its formation. In this manner, the heat loss from the ingot is decreased in order to prevent cracking of the ingot produced. The internal cross-sectional area of the lower part of the mold is a factor of 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a sinin the installation.

40 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENTEnmso ma 3.713.476

sum 1 or a FIG. 1

INVENTORS BORIS EVGENIEVICH PATON BORIS IZRAILEVICH MEDOVAR JURY VADIMOVICH LATASH JULY GEORGIEVICH EMELYANENKO LEONID MIKHAILOVICH STUPAK VITALY MIKHAILOVICH 'BAGLAI JURY FEDOROVICH ALFEROV MWWW M ATTORNEYS PAIENIEDJMI30 ma 3.713476 SHEET 2 [IF 3 FIG. 2

V mvamons BORIS EVGENIEVICH PATON et ul ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAN 30 I975 3,713,476

SHEET 3 [IF 3 INVENTORS aoms EVGENIEVICH PATON et ul Mwwww ATTORNEYS INSTALLATION FOR MAKING INGOTS AND METHOD THEREFOR The present invention concerns electric steel-making furnaces, and more particularly it relates to installations for making ingots through the electroslag remelting of one or simultaneously of a plurality of consumable electrodes.

This invention may be successfully employed for making second ingots weighing about 100 to 200 tons and even heavier.

The electroslag remelting of electrodes is carried into effect on installations having a mould closed at its bottom by a bottom plate or a dummy bar, electrode holders and a current source, connected to which are electrodes and the mould, and in some cases the bottom plate. To enable the electroslag process to be started a bath of liquid slag is provided, into which the lower ends of the electrodes are immersed. When current is passing through the electrodes and the slag bath, heat evolves in the latter, the amount of which is sufficient for fusing the electrodes, the drops of molten metal flowing into the mould, thereby forming an ingot.

In the case where the cross-sectional area of an electrode to be remelted or the total cross-sectional area of the electrodes being simultaneously remelted is considerably smaller than that of the hollow of the mould, the remelting process is carried out by feeding the electrodes into theslag bath as they melt down, the bottom plate being mounted in a stationary manner.

In connection therewith, the prior-art units (Cf. United Kingdom Patent No. 979,583) were provided with a drive for moving the holder together with the electrodes. Yet this drive was liable to become very complicated as the weight of the electrodes being remelted increased. Moreover, the ingot being remelted remains in the mould until its complete building up, and is drastically cooled down, which may cause cracks in the bottom portion of the ingot especially in the case of making heavy-weight ingots.

That is why attempts were made to decrease the heat removal from the ingot being formed by using plants (Cf. United Kingdom Patent No. 1,103,350) provided with drives for effecting simultaneous motion of the mould and electrodes towards each other in relation to a stationary bottom plate. The open bottom portion of the ingot disposed on the bottom plate may be thermally insulated so as to prevent cracks formation therein. The presence of two drives, especially when remelting electrodes of heavy weight, substantially complicates the use of such installations.

Proposed were also installations (Cf. Belgium Patent No. 71 1,199) allowing remelting one or simultaneously a plurality of electrodes having cross-sectional area near that of thehollow of the mould, both the mould and the electrodes remaining stationary during the remelting of the latter. This was achieved by providing an insignificant difference between the cross-sectional areas of the moulds hollow and of the electrodes being remelted, as well as by replenishing the slag bath in the mould during the remelting process by charging an additional amount of slag thereinto. Though in this case heavy-weight ingots were obtained, they could not be thermally insulated in the course of remelting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved installation for manufacturing ingots, in which the shape of the mould would permit remelting electrodes without their moving in relation to the bottom plate, and there would be provided a possibility for thermally insulating the lower portion of the ingot in the process of its building up.

We propose an installation for making ingots through the electroslag remelting of one or of a plurality of electrodes to be secured in an electrode holder and immersed with their lower ends into the slag bath, which is provided in the mould to be placed on the bottom plate and connected to an appliance intended for moving the mould upwardly in the course of remelting electrodes.

In conformity with the invention, the mould in its upper part or mouth has an expanded portion intended for accommodating the slag bath, whereas the crosssectional area of its bottom part, in which the ingot is being formed amounts to as much as 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of the electrode being remelted, or of the total cross-sectional area of the electrodes being simultaneously remelted, the electrode holder and bottom plate being mounted in a stationary manner in the course of the remelting process. That is, the cross-sectional area of the bottom part of the mould is from 0.8 to 1.2 times the cross-sectional area of the electrode or electrodes being remelted.

To retain the slag bath in the expanded portion of the mould, the bottom plate is provided with a vertical projection member entering the bottom part thereof, which projection member forming with its end face the bottom of the said expanded portion, the height of the projection member being somewhat smaller than the height of the lower part of the mould, in which the ingot is being formed during the remelting process.

The present invention features a number of advantages.

The provision of an expanded portion in the upper part of the mould allows for remelting of heavier electrodes having a larger cross-sectional area than the ingot being remelted, whereas their length is shorter than the height of the ingot. Besides, the electrodes of a smaller length-to-diameter ratio may be employed, being, as it is well known, much easier to be manufactured. Moreover, three-phase connection circuit of three electrodes to a current source allows the interelectrode spacing to be increased and thus their insulation in the electrode holder to be improved.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, one possible embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification, in which:

FIG. 1 represents an installation according to the invention after pouring liquid slag into the mould;

FIG. 2 represents the same installation in the course of remelting the electrodes;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same installation; and

FIG. 4 is a detail view illustrating-a bottom pouring arrangement for introducing molten slag into the mold.

As it is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the proposed installation is provided with a plurality of support columns I coupled in its upper part by means of a framework 2 to a central aperture 3 which is overlapped by a detachable plate 4 provided with holders 5 of electrodes 6; secured on the external side of the framework 2 are current leads 7 insulated from each other, whereas on the back side of the plate there are provided current take-offs 8 connected by current-leading bus-bars 9 to a current source 10. The number of current leads 7 and current take-offs 8 is determined by the number of electrode holders 5, three of which are illustrated in the exemplary illustration.

Mounted on columns 1 is a cross piece 12 which is made vertically movable with the aid of a drive 11, the cross piece supporting mould 13 disposed so as to face aperture 3 below the framework 2. Prior to starting the remelting process, the mould 13 is placed on a bottom plate 14 to be moved on a carriage 15. The upper part of the mould 13 is provided with an expanded portion 16 for accommodating the slag bath l7, immersed into which with their lower ends are electrodes 6. The internal cross section of its bottom part 18, in which the ingot is being formed, amounts to as much as a factor of 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode or of the total cross-sectional area of the a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted. Such a ratio between the cross-sectional areas of the bottom part 18 of the mould 13 and electrodes 6 provides for conditions to carry out the remelting process with the electrodes and the bottom plate being mounted in a stationary manner. The most stable conditions for the remelting process will be provided in the case where the cross-sectional area of the electrodes or of an electrode will be equal to the cross-sectional area of the ingot being remelted. In this case, the height of the built-up ingot will be equal to the length of the electrodes being remelted, and the remelting process will proceed with the depth of the slag bath remaining constant.

Provided on bottom plate 14 is a vertical projection member 20 entering the bottom part 18 of the mould 13, thereby forming with its end face 21 the bottom of the said expanded portion 16, the height of member 20 being somewhat smaller than that of the bottom part 18 so as to enable the formation of the ingot to be started below the expanded portion 16 in order to allow unimpeded motion of the mould l3 upwardly in the process of remelting electrodes 6.

In the course of remelting electrodes 6, heat-insulating screens 22 may be sequentially placed around the bottom part of the ingot 19 being formed so as to decrease the heat removal from the surface of the ingot 19 with a view to preventing its rapid cooling and cracking.

The installation of the invention operates as follows.

In the course of preparation for a heat, carriage with bottom plate 14 are provided opposite the aperture 3 in the framework 2, and the mould 13 is placed, through a travel of the cross piece 12, on the bottom plate 14 in such a manner that its projection member will enter the bottom part 18 of the mould 13.

The electrodes 6 to be remelted are secured in the holders 5 of plate 4, and are placed together with the latter in the aperture 3 of the framework 2, which brings about a contact between the current leads 7 and current take-offs 8, the lower ends of the electrodes 6 should thereby be disposed in the expanded portion 16 of the mould 13 without contacting the latter. Thereafter, liquid slag is cast into the mould 13 either by the bottom pouring through a hole 30, 32 provided in the bottom plate 14, or by the top pouring procedure; when proceeding in such a manner care should be taken that the lower ends of the electrodes 6 be found in slag bath l7, whereupon the plant is connected to a current source 10. Bottom pouring can be accomplished by apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein molten slag is poured into the upper entry end 34 of a funnel member 36 secured on an upper surface portion of the bottom plate. A passage 38 through the funnel member communicates with the channel 30 in the bottom plate thence through the hole 32 in the bottom projection 20 and into the interior of the mold. Details of such a bottom pouring apparatus can be found in Belgium Pat. No. 689,297.

The drops of metal as formed by fusing the electrodes 6, flow into the bottom part 18 of the mould, thus gradually forming an ingot 19. The mould 13 is moved upwardly, whereas the ingot 19 is left on the bottom plate 14, as the electrodes fuse and the magnitude of the current, passing through the slag bath 17, decreases.

The bottom open part of the ingot 19 is thermally insulated owing to the provision of a group of sectional heat-insulating screens 22. The consumption of slag, as required for the formation of a slag crust on the surface of the ingot 19, can be balanced by adding solid flux into the slag bath 17 in the course of the remelting process.

On completing the building up of the ingot l9, liquid slag is discharged from the mould 13 which is then lifted until the ingot 19 emerges therefrom, whereupon the bottom plate 14 together with the ingot are rolled aside on the carriage 15.

The installation of the invention is capable of operating with one, two or three electrodes, being differently connected to the current source 10 in the required manners.

Consequently, in the proposed installation movable in the process of remelting is only the mould 13, the weight thereof during the process of making heavyweight ingots being rather insignificant; and for moving it a drive of a small power is required, which affords additional advantages for the present invention.

What we claim is:

1. An installation for making ingots by the electroslag remelting of one or of a plurality of solid consumable electrodes, comprising an electrode holder means secured in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes; a mould provided with an expanded portion in its upper part for accommodating a slag bath therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, immersed into said slag bath with their lower ends are the electrodes, the internal cross-sectional area of said lower part of the mould, in which an ingot is being formed, amounting to a factor of from 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode to be remelted or the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted; a bottom plate to be mounted in a stationary manner duringthe remelting of the electrodes and adapted for the retaining of said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon when said mould is in contact therewith; a means adaptable for moving the said mould upwardly in the process of remelting the electrodes; and a current source connected to said electrode or electrodes.

2. An installation for making ingots by the electroslag remelting of one or of a plurality of solid consumable electrodes, comprising an electrode holder means secured in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes; a mould provided with an expanded portion in its upper part for accommodating a slag bath therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, immersed into said slag bath with their lower ends are the electrodes, the cross-sectional area of said bottom part of the mould in which an ingot is being formed having a factor of from 0.8 to 1.2 times the cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes to be simultaneously remelted; a bottom plate, fixedly provided during the remelting of the electrodes, adapted for retaining said mould in predetermined horizontal positions thereon when said mould is in contact therewith by providing a vertical projection member for entry into the bottom part of the mould and forming with its upper end face the bottom of the said expanded portion of the mould in which the ingot is being formed; and a means adaptable for moving the said mould upwardly in the course of remelting the electrodes; and a current source connected to the said electrodes.

3. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein said bottom plate includes a vertical projection member affixed to the upper portion thereof and adapted to fit within said lower part of said mould to retain said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon and to provide bottom support for an ingot being formed.

4. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein said mould is fluid cooled and wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould is operable at a rate sufficient to retain the slag bath in said mould and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.

5. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein a pouring hole is provided in said bottom plate for the addition of slag to said mould preparatory to initiating remelting said electrodes.

6. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein said electrode holder means comprises vertically disposed stationary support means, a framework supported by said stationary support means and having a central aperture therein, an insulated current lead for each of said electrodes resting on said framework and connected between said current source and said electrode, a detachable plate supported by said insulated current leads centered with respect to said aperture and having an individual electrode holder mounted thereon for each of said electrodes and adapted to hold each of said electrodes vertically within said aperture, and said stationary support means cooperating with said means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly during remelting.

7. An installation as defined by claim 6, wherein said mould is aligned with said central aperture.

8. An installation as defined by claim 6, wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly comprises a cross piece mounted for vertical movement upwardly along said stationary support means, a drive means affixed to said cross piece for raising the same, and means mounting said mould on said cross piece.

9. An installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode comprising a mould provided with an expanded upper mouth portion adapted to permit contact of said electrode with a slag bath retainable therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of said electrode, a bottom plate adapted to support an ingot, an electrode holder for securing said electrode during remelting in a stationary position relative to the ingot, and a current source connected to said electrode.

10. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein said bottom plate is maintained in fixed, stationary position with respect to said electrode during remelting.

11. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein said bottom plate has a vertical projection member affixed to the upper portion thereof adapted to fit within said lower part of said mould to provide for retention of the slag bath in the expanded upper portion thereof and to provide bottom support for the ingot being formed.

12. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein said mould is fluid cooled and wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould is operable at a rate sufficient to retain the slag bath in said mould and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.

13. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein the internal cross-sectional area of said lower part of said mould is a factor of 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode or of the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted.

14. An installation as defined by claim 13, wherein the cross-sectional area factor is one.

15. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a single electrode is remelted and said current source means is connected to said electrode and to said bottorn plate and said mould.

16. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a pair of electrodes are remelted and wherein said current source means is connected between said pair of electrodes.

17. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein three electrodes are remelted and wherein said current source means is connected to each of said electrodes through current leads.

18. An installation as defined by claim 17, wherein said current leads from the current source means are connected to the closest adjacent two electrodes and wherein said electrodes are axially disposed essentially parallel and spaced from each other in a triangular configuration and wherein said current source means comprises three units arranged in spaced apart triangular disposition about said electrodes.

19. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a pouring hole is provided in said bottom plate for the addition of slag to said mould preparatory to remelting said electrodes.

20. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a heat-insulating screen is provided to decrease the heat loss from the ingot as formed.

21. An installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode comprising a mould provided with an expanded upper mouth portion adapted to permit contact of said electrode with a slag bath retainable therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of said electrode, a means for supporting an ingot, a means for securing said electrode during remelting in a stationary position relative to the ingot, and current source means connected to said electrode.

22. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode in a mould having a slag bath retained therein, the improvement comprising an electrode holder means having a vertically disposed stationary support means, a framework supported by said stationary support means and having a central aperture therein, an insulated current lead for said electrode resting on said framework and connected between said current source and said electrode, a detachable plate supported by said insulated current lead centered with respect to said aperture and having an electrode holder mounted thereon and adapted to hold said electrode vertically within said aperture, and a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly during remelting of said electrode.

23. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode, the improvement comprising: a mould provided with an expanded upper mouth portion adapted to permit contact of said electrode with a slag bath retainable therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, the internal crosssectional area of said lower part of said mould being a factor of about 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of said at least one electrode or of the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously.

remelted; means adapted to maintain said at least one solid consumable electrode stationary with respect to the ingot; and a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of the electrode.

24. An installation as defined by claim 23, wherein the cross-sectional area factor is one.

25. A method of electroslag remelting of consumable metal electrodes in a mould provided with a bottom plate having a slag bath retained therein to form an ingot comprising the steps of maintaining the electrode and the bottom plate in fixed position with respect to one another, moving the mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during remelting to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed, fluid cooling said mould during remelting, and supplying current to the electrode.

26. A method as defined by claim 25, including the step of adding the slag bath to the mould preparatory to starting remelting by bottom pouring the slag through a hole provided in the bottom plate.

27. A method as defined by claim 25, including the step of decreasing the current supplied to the electrode as the electrode is remelted.

28. A method of electroslag remelting of consumable metal electrode in a mould provided with a bottom plate having a slag bath retained therein to melt said electrode comprising the steps of: moving the mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during remelting to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed; fluid cooling said mould during remelting; sequentially placing heat-insulating means around the bottom part of the in ct during its forma tron to reduce the heat loss from t e forme ingot; and

supplying current to the electrode.

29. A method as defined by claim 25, wherein said moving step is carried out in a manner to retain the slag bath in the mold and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.

30. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the slag bath is initially provided in and, during remelting, is kept within an upper portion of the mould and the solidified ingot is formed in a lower portion of the mould.

31. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the slag bath is maintained greater than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the solidified ingot being formed.

32. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the slag bath is initially kept within the upper portion of the mould by a part of the bottom plate and fluid cooling of that part of the bottom plate is provided at least during the initial remelting.

33. An installation as defined in claim 3, wherein at least said vertical projection member of said bottom plate has provision for fluid cooling.

34. An installation as defined in claim 11, wherein at least said vertical projection member of said bottom plate has provision for fluid cooling.

35. An installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least'one solid consumable electrode comprising: a mould with a slag bath retainable therein for forming an ingot; a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of said electrode; a means for supporting an ingot as it is formed; a plurality of sectional heat-insulating means sequentially stacked around the ingot as it is formed to decrease the heat loss from the ingot as formed; and current source means connected to set electrode.

36. An installation as defined by claim 35, wherein said means for supporting an ingot includes a vertical projection member on the upper portion thereof and adapted to fit within said mould to retain said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon and to provide bottom support for an ingot being formed.

37. An installation as defined in claim 36, wherein at least said vertical projection member of said means for supporting an ingot has provision for fluid cooling.

38. An installation as defined by claim 35, wherein said mould is fluid cooled and wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly is operable at a rate sufficient to retain the slag bath in said mould and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.

39. An installation as defined in claim 35, wherein a pouring hole is provided in the means for supporting an ingot for the introduction of molten slag to said mould preparatory to initiating remelting said electrode.

40. An installation as defined in claim 35, wherein a means is provided for securing said electrode above the mould and with its lower end submerged in said slag bath during remelting. 

1. An installation for making ingots by the electroslag remelting of one or of a plurality of solid consumable electrodes, comprising an electrode holder means secured in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes; a mould provided with an expanded portion in its upper part for accommodating a slag bath therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, immersed into said slag bath with their lower ends are the electrodes, the internal cross-sectional area of said lower part of the mould, in which an ingot is being formed, amounting to a factor of from 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode to be remelted or the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted; a bottom plate to be mounted in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes and adapted for the retaining of said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon when said mould is in contact therewith; a means adaptable for moving the said mould upwardly in the process of remelting the electrodes; and a current source connected to said electrode or electrodes.
 1. An installation for making ingots by the electroslag remelting of one or of a plurality of solid consumable electrodes, comprising an electrode holder means secured in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes; a mould provided with an expanded portion in its upper part for accommodating a slag bath therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, immersed into said slag bath with their lower ends are the electrodes, the internal cross-sectional area of said lower part of the mould, in which an ingot is being formed, amounting to a factor of from 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode to be remelted or the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted; a bottom plate to be mounted in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes and adapted for the retaining of said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon when said mould is in contact therewith; a means adaptable for moving the said mould upwardly in the process of remelting the electrodes; and a current source connected to said electrode or electrodes.
 2. An installation for making ingots by the electroslag remelting of one or of a plurality of solid consumable electrodes, comprising an electrode holder means secured in a stationary manner during the remelting of the electrodes; a mould provided with an expanded portion in itS upper part for accommodating a slag bath therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, immersed into said slag bath with their lower ends are the electrodes, the cross-sectional area of said bottom part of the mould in which an ingot is being formed having a factor of from 0.8 to 1.2 times the cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes to be simultaneously remelted; a bottom plate, fixedly provided during the remelting of the electrodes, adapted for retaining said mould in predetermined horizontal positions thereon when said mould is in contact therewith by providing a vertical projection member for entry into the bottom part of the mould and forming with its upper end face the bottom of the said expanded portion of the mould in which the ingot is being formed; and a means adaptable for moving the said mould upwardly in the course of remelting the electrodes; and a current source connected to the said electrodes.
 3. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein said bottom plate includes a vertical projection member affixed to the upper portion thereof and adapted to fit within said lower part of said mould to retain said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon and to provide bottom support for an ingot being formed.
 4. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein said mould is fluid cooled and wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould is operable at a rate sufficient to retain the slag bath in said mould and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.
 5. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein a pouring hole is provided in said bottom plate for the addition of slag to said mould preparatory to initiating remelting said electrodes.
 6. An installation as defined by claim 1, wherein said electrode holder means comprises vertically disposed stationary support means, a framework supported by said stationary support means and having a central aperture therein, an insulated current lead for each of said electrodes resting on said framework and connected between said current source and said electrode, a detachable plate supported by said insulated current leads centered with respect to said aperture and having an individual electrode holder mounted thereon for each of said electrodes and adapted to hold each of said electrodes vertically within said aperture, and said stationary support means cooperating with said means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly during remelting.
 7. An installation as defined by claim 6, wherein said mould is aligned with said central aperture.
 8. An installation as defined by claim 6, wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly comprises a cross piece mounted for vertical movement upwardly along said stationary support means, a drive means affixed to said cross piece for raising the same, and means mounting said mould on said cross piece.
 9. An installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode comprising a mould provided with an expanded upper mouth portion adapted to permit contact of said electrode with a slag bath retainable therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of said electrode, a bottom plate adapted to support an ingot, an electrode holder for securing said electrode during remelting in a stationary position relative to the ingot, and a current source connected to said electrode.
 10. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein said bottom plate is maintained in fixed, stationary position with respect to said electrode during remelting.
 11. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein said bottom plate has a vertical projection member affixed to the upper portion thereof adapted to fit within said lower part of said mould to provide for retention of the slag bath in the expanded upper portion thereof and to provide bottom support for the ingot being formed.
 12. An iNstallation as defined by claim 9, wherein said mould is fluid cooled and wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould is operable at a rate sufficient to retain the slag bath in said mould and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.
 13. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein the internal cross-sectional area of said lower part of said mould is a factor of 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of a single electrode or of the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted.
 14. An installation as defined by claim 13, wherein the cross-sectional area factor is one.
 15. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a single electrode is remelted and said current source means is connected to said electrode and to said bottom plate and said mould.
 16. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a pair of electrodes are remelted and wherein said current source means is connected between said pair of electrodes.
 17. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein three electrodes are remelted and wherein said current source means is connected to each of said electrodes through current leads.
 18. An installation as defined by claim 17, wherein said current leads from the current source means are connected to the closest adjacent two electrodes and wherein said electrodes are axially disposed essentially parallel and spaced from each other in a triangular configuration and wherein said current source means comprises three units arranged in spaced apart triangular disposition about said electrodes.
 19. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a pouring hole is provided in said bottom plate for the addition of slag to said mould preparatory to remelting said electrodes.
 20. An installation as defined by claim 9, wherein a heat-insulating screen is provided to decrease the heat loss from the ingot as formed.
 21. An installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode comprising a mould provided with an expanded upper mouth portion adapted to permit contact of said electrode with a slag bath retainable therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of said electrode, a means for supporting an ingot, a means for securing said electrode during remelting in a stationary position relative to the ingot, and current source means connected to said electrode.
 22. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode in a mould having a slag bath retained therein, the improvement comprising an electrode holder means having a vertically disposed stationary support means, a framework supported by said stationary support means and having a central aperture therein, an insulated current lead for said electrode resting on said framework and connected between said current source and said electrode, a detachable plate supported by said insulated current lead centered with respect to said aperture and having an electrode holder mounted thereon and adapted to hold said electrode vertically within said aperture, and a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly during remelting of said electrode.
 23. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode, the improvement comprising: a mould provided with an expanded upper mouth portion adapted to permit contact of said electrode with a slag bath retainable therein and a lower part for forming an ingot, the internal cross-sectional area of said lower part of said mould being a factor of about 0.8 to 1.2 of the cross-sectional area of said at least one electrode or of the total cross-sectional area of a plurality of electrodes being simultaneously remelted; means adapted to maintain said at least one solid consumable electrode stationary with respect to the ingot; and a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of the electrode.
 24. An installation as defined by claim 23, wherein the cross-sectional area factor is one.
 25. A method of electroslag remelting of consumable metal electrodes in a mould provided with a bottom plate having a slag bath retained therein to form an ingot comprising the steps of maintaining the electrode and the bottom plate in fixed position with respect to one another, moving the mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during remelting to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed, fluid cooling said mould during remelting, and supplying current to the electrode.
 26. A method as defined by claim 25, including the step of adding the slag bath to the mould preparatory to starting remelting by bottom pouring the slag through a hole provided in the bottom plate.
 27. A method as defined by claim 25, including the step of decreasing the current supplied to the electrode as the electrode is remelted.
 28. A method of electroslag remelting of consumable metal electrode in a mould provided with a bottom plate having a slag bath retained therein to melt said electrode comprising the steps of: moving the mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during remelting to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed; fluid cooling said mould during remelting; sequentially placing heat-insulating means around the bottom part of the ingot during its formation to reduce the heat loss from the formed ingot; and supplying current to the electrode.
 29. A method as defined by claim 25, wherein said moving step is carried out in a manner to retain the slag bath in the mold and to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.
 30. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the slag bath is initially provided in and, during remelting, is kept within an upper portion of the mould and the solidified ingot is formed in a lower portion of the mould.
 31. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the slag bath is maintained greater than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the solidified ingot being formed.
 32. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the slag bath is initially kept within the upper portion of the mould by a part of the bottom plate and fluid cooling of that part of the bottom plate is provided at least during the initial remelting.
 33. An installation as defined in claim 3, wherein at least said vertical projection member of said bottom plate has provision for fluid cooling.
 34. An installation as defined in claim 11, wherein at least said vertical projection member of said bottom plate has provision for fluid cooling.
 35. An installation for electroslag remelting of metal from at least one solid consumable electrode comprising: a mould with a slag bath retainable therein for forming an ingot; a means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly relative to the ingot formed during the remelting of said electrode; a means for supporting an ingot as it is formed; a plurality of sectional heat-insulating means sequentially stacked around the ingot as it is formed to decrease the heat loss from the ingot as formed; and current source means connected to set electrode.
 36. An installation as defined by claim 35, wherein said means for supporting an ingot includes a vertical projection member on the upper portion thereof and adapted to fit within said mould to retain said mould in predetermined horizontal position thereon and to provide bottom support for an ingot being formed.
 37. An installation as defined in claim 36, wherein at least said vertical projection member of said means for supporting an ingot has provision for fluid cooling.
 38. An installation as defined by claim 35, wherein said mould is fluid cooled and wherein said means adaptable for moving said mould upwardly is operable at a rate sufficient to retain the slag bath in said mould And to remove the mould from cooling contact with the ingot as it is formed.
 39. An installation as defined in claim 35, wherein a pouring hole is provided in the means for supporting an ingot for the introduction of molten slag to said mould preparatory to initiating remelting said electrode. 